Schools lose sight of the need for quality eye tests for children

With a reading age far above his nine years, Jamie Macdonald, from Ilkley, was oblivious to the fact that he was almost blind in one eye.

His mum, Annie Galloway, made the stunning discovery during a trip to the optometrist – Jamie, now 10, had amblyopia, commonly known as a lazy eye.

“I had no idea he had anything wrong with his eyes,” she said. “I was just getting my eyes tested so I took him along too. I was really shocked because when he read the chart with his right eye covered, he couldn’t even make out the one big letter at the top. The simple eye test at school had failed to pick up the fact that he was nearly blind in one eye.”

The optometrist told her that Jamie needed glasses with a plus-four prescription for his left eye.

“They said his other eye was two lines better than 20/20 vision, so it had compensated completely, but if anything happens to that eye, then that’s it.

“Also he has no distance or speed vision because he has no binocular vision. I was shocked that his vision was so bad, though Jamie would never have known any different. The thing I felt the worst about was that I had never even thought to get his eyes tested.”

It is estimated that a million children in the UK have an undetected vision problem, yet just under half have never had an eye examination. While some schools provide simple eye tests in the Reception Year, screening is sporadic. The Association of Optometrists (AOP) reported that around 70 per cent of schools are failing to provide any test whatsoever.

Now Wetherby optometrist, Paul Appleson is campaigning to make more parents aware of the need for an eye test.

“Most children wouldn’t be aware of having an eye problem,” he said. “An adult is able to communicate the fact that either one eye or the other is not seeing properly, whereas a child may just see that as normal and not complain of any problems.”

As secretary of the Leeds Local Optical Committee, Mr Appleson has helped develop a national campaign to take the message into schools. The Leeds Children’s Vision Initiative is now organising school assemblies to encourage more children to go to an optometrist.

On launching the school campaign, AOP chief executive Bob Hughes said: “It’s an absolute public health disgrace. There are problems which can be corrected in young people’s eyes and yet it’s a buried issue. Children are losing out on a good education because they can’t see.”

The AOP say that while more than 90 per cent of children visit a dentist regularly, only 53 per cent of children have had an eye examination.

Poor vision is often unrecognised by teachers, parents and the children themselves. Some children are even being wrongly diagnosed with learning difficulties or dyslexia.

“They get sent down the dyslexia route even before their vision has been checked,” said Mr Appleson.

And it isn’t just classroom work that may be affected. Poor hand-to-eye coordination may be the reason why a child is struggling with sport.

Optometrists recommend taking a child for an eye test from the age of four. By eight, children’s eyes are usually fully developed. A child does not need to be able to read, and the test is free for those under the age of 16.

Ms Galloway had to take Jamie to two opticians before she was finally able to get him referred to the children’s eye department at Harrogate Hospital.

“When I finally got to the hospital they said I should be patching his eye.”

If it had been picked up earlier, it would have been easier to resolve. Jamie will now have to wear glasses or contact lenses for life. Luckily, the patch, which he wears for a couple of hours a day, is working and the sight in his left eye is improving.

“In Jamie, his good eye is shaped like a football and his bad eye like a rugby ball, so the focus isn’t at the right place in his left eye. The patch is forcing the brain to use the bad eye again.”

She says that other parents need to realise the importance of getting their children’s eyes tested.

“Schools should either do it properly or not waste their money doing any eye tests at all.”

THREE PROBLEMS TO WATCH FOR

* Amblyopia, or lazy eye, occurs when the child’s vision does not develop properly. Treatment involves wearing a patch over the good eye, or using eye drops.

* Astigmatism is a minor condition of the eye that causes blurred vision, when the cornea is not a perfectly curved shape. Most people who wear glasses have astigmatism.

* A squint is a common condition which affects one in 20 children. One eye turns inwards, outwards, upwards or downwards, while the other eye looks forwards. It is caused by incorrect balance of the eye muscles.